Effectiveness of Nursing Clinical Practice Guidelines to Reduce Corneal Ulcer Complications at Phaholpolpayuhasena Hospital

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the effects of nursing clinical practice guidelines for corneal ulcer on length of stay, complications and cost of treatment.

Methods: A quasi-experimental study with two groups before and after design with 43 participants in each group was conducted during 1 September 2023 - 29 February 2024.   In the control group, retrospective data were collected from the hospital databases in those who received usual care. In the study group after the control group was done, prospective data were purposively collected from those who received the evidence-based nursing clinical practice guidelines for corneal ulcer developed by the researchers. Study outcomes were general demographic data, history of illness, length of stay, complications, and cost of treatment. Descriptive statistics, in-dependent t-test, chi-square test was used for data analysis.

Results: Length of stay in the study group was significantly shorter than in the control group (9.41±8.34 vs 13.00±12.78 days; p=0.032). Complications in the study group were significantly lower than in the control group (7.0% vs 25.6%; p=0.029). Cost of treatment for corneal ulcer in the two groups was not different (14,078.99±12,472.01 vs 10,556.19±10,142.64 Baht; p=0.215).

Conclusions: The developed nursing practice guidelines for corneal ulcer patients were helpful to reduce complications. These guidelines can be used in other hospitals that was similar to this setting.